fbpx
 
 

Blog written by a USC tutor

April 15th, 2014

Today we were given a helmet from USC as a gift with the signature of a previous USC Coach. Therefore, we decided to have one of our tutors from USC write us a blog.

During the past four years, I have had the privilege of learning and growing at the University of Southern California.  I learned that graduates of USC not only have advanced knowledge in diverse topics, but are also prepared to share what they know with others.  Most students at USC take advantage of the opportunity to study in different fields and use their interdisciplinary background to understand how others think.  They are then able to apply this to working with students here at Study Hut.

The diverse student body at USC provides unique experiences you cannot get at other schools.  Graduates from USC understand how to work with people who come from different backgrounds and are able to learn from them as well.  This also means that to get into USC, you need to have a diverse background yourself.  Students from USC have tons of extracurricular activities and varying educational interests which helps the USC tutors understand how to work with the different students they help.

Classes at USC provide lots of opportunities for the students to teach different topics.  In almost every class I took, there was an assignment to research and learn about a subject, master that subject, and then present our findings to the class.  We learned how to explain difficult concepts to classmates who had very little background in the topic.  On top of that, the professors encouraged collaboration between classmates when we were studying for exams.  Within study groups, we would break up different topics that needed to be covered and teach the rest of the group.  On the other hand, we would learn from our classmates and understood what teaching methods work and which don’t.  Seeing both sides of teaching and learning helps us USC students understand how to not just teach effectively, but also how to adapt the methods to make sure it fits the student’s learning style.

USC tutors are extremely prepared to teach and alter their teaching method to best fit the student’s learning abilities.  They have diverse backgrounds and a wide base of knowledge that helps them relate to and understand every student making them better tutors.  Lastly, USC graduates are able to spell at an exceptional level and can count higher than 8.

AVID year-end site team meetings!!

April 18th, 2013

What is AVID?

AVID is an Advancement Via Individual Determination: A 4-year elective that helps kids get ready for a 4-year college experience. 
AVID is a bi-weekly tutorial which helps kids keep their GPA up, SAT and ACT tutoring starting in 10th grade, and the rest of the time is focused on expanding their horizons and getting them ready for college.

From their website it says: AVID, Advancement Via Individual Determination, is a college readiness system for elementary through higher education that is designed to increase schoolwide learning and performance. The AVID College Readiness System (ACRS) accelerates student learning, uses research based methods of effective instruction, provides meaningful and motivational professional learning, and acts as a catalyst for systemic reform and change.

AVID began in 1980 by Mary Catherine Swanson, then-head of the English department at San Diego’s Clairemont High School. The federal courts issued an order to desegregate the city’s schools, bringing large numbers of inner city students to suburban schools. While applauding the decision, Swanson wondered how these underserved students would survive at academically acclaimed Clairemont High.

Her answer was AVID, an academic elective. But it’s more than a program – it’s a philosophy: Hold students accountable to the highest standards, provide academic and social support, and they will rise to the challenge.

AVID is having their year-end site team meetings. 
Peninsula High School’s meeting was today and Palos Verdes High School is tomorrow
the AVID year-end site team meetings are where parents, students, teachers, and tutors get together to discuss how the year went
and discuss goals for next year. 
The Peninsula High School Avid seniors set a record: 100% of the kids that applied to a 4-year school were accepted to at least one.
They had a record high for applications for next year’s freshman that is. 
The AVID Program is increasing the amount of tutors they are going to have next year – so the ratio will be 7 students to 1 tutor in tutorials.
This year it was about 12 tutors to 1 student. 
They also have a record high number of kids going to their overnight college trip – which is where 41 kids spend 2 days to go see  Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and University of California Santa Barbara.